Thursday, October 29, 2015

Poetry Friday, that one before the ghouls and ghosts convene, is hosted by Jone Macullough at her blog, Check It Out.

I hope you all have a Happy Halloween. I've had a lot of fun driving my granddaughters down special streets that are going wild with the decorating. Each one is unique in style; some feel that the creepier the better, and others choose the happy and fun Charlie Brown approach. It's going to be a busy Saturday night. However, this time of year is also one to celebrate every day as the tree leaves change and their colors shine. I've taken so many pictures, and managed one that sparked a poem.

Thrilled to visit Michelle Heidenrich Barnes at Today's Little Dittywith a poem for the challenge given by Marcus Ewert, about relationships seeming unrequited, then end up requited after all. Thank you, Michelle for the fun this month.

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Thanks to Alyson Beecher's Non-Fiction Picture Book Challenge at her blog, Kidlit Frenzy.

Come read to discover everyone's recent non-fiction picture books.

Tweet - #NFPB15

Nature in two different habitats shows stunning adaptations in the books I share today.

Some of you have reviewed these before, and I am so glad to have finally read them.

Frozen Wild: How Animals Survive In The Coldest Places On Earth - written and illustrated by Jim Arnosky

Part of a terrific series with other titles like Wild Tracks! and
Slither and Crawl, this beautifully illustrated book tells of those animals who
live in the coldest places, like the Arctic and the Antarctic and northern
forests. There is an introduction to each part, then double-paged spreads with
pictures of the groups of animals and small bits of information about each. The
illustrations are realistic, and done well enough for a young researcher to
understand what each really looks like, including double-page spreads. Information includes the animals’ place in a
life cycle, identifying main predators, sources of food, how they keep warm,
size, etc. It didn’t seem long, but it is packed with information and beautiful
to see. The backmatter includes a letter from the author about his process,
additional sources for learning more about animals in winter

Tree of Wonder: The Many Marvelous Lives of a Rainforest Tree - written by Kate Messner and illustrated by Simona Mulazzani

According to this book, over 1000 different living things depend on the
huge and complex almendro tree that grows in Latin American rainforests. The
story of this tree is told by showing some of those creatures, how they use,
and sometimes help, the trees, where they live, what they eat, how they keep
away from enemies. The information given is simply told for younger readers,
and the pictures are lovely, but unrealistic, only hinting at the real look of
the tree. Each page also has a number, which doubles on the next page and the
next, showing the vast numbers of these animals in these forests.There is
additional information with sites that help save these forests, and a section
titled Rainforest Math, with some
math problems. It is a good book that can begin research into the importance of
this habitat and its inhabitants.

Monday, October 26, 2015

Slicing with the Two Writing Teachers community is a pleasure. Thank you Stacey, Tara, Anna, Betsy, Dana, Kathleen, Beth, and Deb.

I haven't posted in several weeks. For the first time in a while, I didn't think I had a good slice to write. I've been reading and sharing books, writing and sharing poetry, but the busy days slipped by without a topic I really wanted to share. My slices of time have filled up with tasks and company and things I needed to do. Starting one day this week, one slice of time will be something I've wanted to do all my life. I'm going to start working at a nearby used bookstore. I've been going to this store for a long time, even before I moved nearby, and now that I have time, I've contacted them, and will volunteer for one four hour shift every week! It is a coop, run by few paid employees, mostly volunteers, has been in business over forty years. I've had one shift being trained, am nervous and excited all at the same time. Unless one counts a job at a jewelry store in college where I only cleaned the counters, I have never worked in any retail operation. But, I have worked in books! And I am looking forward to taking this new challenge. FYI-I promise not to purchase books every week, REALLY! And I will share more after I've worked a few weeks.

Some favorite bookstore books:

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry - Gabrielle Zevin

The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop: A Memoir, A History - Lewis Buzbe

The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap: A Memoir of Community, Friendship and the Uncommon Pleasure of a Good Book - Wendy Welch

Come visit, and tweet at #IMWAYR. Thanks to Jen, Kellee, and Ricki for hosting!

HAVE A HAPPY HALLOWEEN WEEK EVERYONE!

The Hired Girl - written by Laura Amy
Schlitz

I recently read two books, set in
countries out of the US that told stories of the powerlessness of women, and
the challenge for change that needs to happen, in this 21st century, still a
huge issue. This book, set in the US in 1911 is not quite as harsh, but again
the powerlessness of women, especially those without money, is there. This is a
growing-up story, and one where teens might see themselves, even old fashioned
as it is. Fourteen-year-old Joan's mother died when she was ten, and since that
time, she has had to manage all household duties for her abusive father and
three brothers, older than she is, who still won't help her in any way against
the father. First he made her quit school, then he chased her former teacher,
her only champion, away, and when she decided to go on strike and asked to have
the egg money (like her mother), her father burned the few books she owned.
Joan, with amazing courage, escaped to Baltimore, and through strange
serendipity, managed to be taken in as a hired girl by a wealthy Jewish family.
She first had to please Malka, their aging and beloved housekeeper, and
throughout the novel, managed both to please and infuriate the matriarch of the
family. The story is about this family of two sons, a married daughter and a
young daughter as well as Joan, her interactions with them as Jews, her
thoughts as a Catholic, at least a Catholic trying to be confirmed. She meets
with her priest once a week, and argues with him as he shows concern that she
might be unduly influenced by their religion. None of the characters is
perfect, but rise with kindness nearly all the time when a conflict occurs. The
story is written by Joan in her diary. We see she is smart, spunky, and still,
a fourteen year old. Her inability to stop and think before she acts throws her
into lots of trouble, and I ached for her, knowing that she should NOT do what
she intended, yet she did most of the time. Thank goodness, Joan is thoughtful
too, and at the end, I can see that she will grow up into a wonderful young
woman.

If you’re a little girl witch and can
do spells, when it starts raining right before the Annual Halloween parade, you
just want to help. Unfortunately changing from rain “drops” to raining cats and
dogs, or even bats and frogs, doesn’t necessarily please. A story that repeats
with a few rhymes, too, and lots of funny illustrations create a laugh-out-loud
story for young kids, especially at this time of the year.

I celebrate each Saturday with Ruth Ayres at Discover Play Buildand the rest of the wonderful community that celebrates together. Come join us! Tweet at #CelebrateLu Having visitors again is always something to celebrate. This week filled with visitors I was happy to have, from a former student and her husband in town at the Tattered Cover for their book launch of Find Me Unafraid to my son, daughter-in-law and grandson in Thursday to celebrate my birthday and a special family ceremony. I celebrate also the two rainy days we had, what a lovely blessing for our dry, dry earth. Pictures show some of the joy, and you can imagine the in-between.

Jessica and Kennedy Odede at The Tattered Cover.

At The Kitchen--in our renovated Union Station all together Saturday night before parting again.

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Thanks to Alyson Beecher's Non-Fiction Picture Book Challenge at her blog, Kidlit Frenzy.

Come read to discover everyone's recent non-fiction picture books.

Tweet - #NFPB15

Last week, I shared stories of inspiring people in U.S. history who made a difference for others, and was delighted this week to find another. I'm giving one more shout-out for a book I shared Monday, too.

Candy Bomber: The Story of the Berlin Airlift’s “Chocolate Pilot” - written by Michael O. Tunnell

I was in elementary school when the crisis between the British, French, Americans and Russia began, after they divided Germany, especially that Berlin itself was divided, and then no one from the west to get to it. People were starving, no one wanted another war, and so the airlift began. Although we were surprised to imagine that now we were supposed to help these people who were our enemies only a few years previously, we did feel sorry for what was happening. I remember worrying about the kids, and knew they needed food.

Come visit, and tweet at #IMWAYR. Thanks to Jen, Kellee, and Ricki for hosting!

chapter books

Nimona - graphic novel written by Noelle Stevenson

At first I struggled with the small
print, but that soon disappeared as I was thrown into this mysterious alliance
between seemingly a little girl, but with magical powers and the villain, or
was he, the infamous Lord Ballister Blackheart. Nimona chose to appear to fight
the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics, and Blackheart’s enemies,
particularly Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin. She made a terrific sidekick who
surprised him and me more than once. I am not familiar with this comic group at
all, and am grateful that it has been made into a book. What surprises there
are in store for readers, and questions in scenes that caused more than one
looking back, and poring over the pages. I enjoyed the adventure and the
action, the deeper characterization of the main characters, which are not
shallow stereotypes, but to be both loved and hated. And, I hope to see Nimona
again.

Jack: The True Story of Jack and the
Beanstalk -
written by Liesl Shurtliff

I loved reading Rump, and raced through this
adventure of Jack and his beanstalk, a lovely, known-to-be-naughty, boy who
thinks before, during, and sometimes after actions. It all works out, but not
before Liesl Shurtliff gives us the real look of a giant ruling his kingdom
with such a lust for gold that his people are starving. Jack admirably ends up
climbing the magic beanstalk because his father has been grabbed by giants
along with his village too. Fortunately, Jack figures a whole lot of things out
just in time! There are lots of allusions to other folk and fairy tales that
also make this story good, and one thing I really loved is that Jack has a
little sister with grit and charm, too. He wouldn’t have survived without her
help! I’m now looking forward to Red!

Friday, October 16, 2015

I celebrate each Saturday with Ruth Ayres at Discover Play Build- It's a close community that celebrates together. Come join us! Tweet at #CelebrateLu I didn't post last week because my brother, sister-in-law and niece were in town to help celebrate my birthday, but so many other wonderful things have happened along with celebrating that day. Living a long way from them is hard. We all wish we lived so much closer. This is the family Sarah, her two daughters, and my grandson Carter (my son's son) travel to visit each summer. We are close, but we want the kids to know them and be close, too!